2021 will be the first full year for the next-generation of gaming, which means that developers are hard at work making great games that will hopefully define the generation. PlayStation has always been known for its exclusives, and that trend will continue this year. Because Sony has decided to make some of its exclusive titles available to the PC market, exclusives might look a little different for PlayStation owners this year, but there are some great titles to look forward to.

This past June, Sony announced many of the games that will come out in 2021 at its Future of Gaming event. Since then, many exclusives have gone without announcements and there are several that still don't have release dates. However, Sony seems confident about its release schedule and so far, no major delays have been announced. Assuming nothing gets delayed into 2022, this year will be filled with promising PlayStation exclusives that take full advantage of the PS5's improved hardware and the unique capabilities of the DualSense controller.

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Deathloop

deathloop dishonored comparisons

Deathloop, developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda, will be coming to PS5 on May 21. It's a fast-paced, first-person shooter with both multiplayer and singleplayer modes. When Deathloop was announced at the Future of Gaming event, players were excited to hear about how it would utilize the DualSense's adaptive triggers to simulate the feeling of pulling the trigger on a gun - or not, if the gun gets jammed and the button becomes unusable. Every weapon will feel different in Deathloop.

In the singleplayer mode, players step in the shoes of Colt, a man trying to break the time-loop on Blackreef Island. The only way to do that is to eliminate all eight targets scattered across Blackreef within 24 hours. It sounds simple enough, but Colt has some opposition. Julianna, a rival assassin, has a mission to keep the loop active by killing Colt before he can eliminate his targets. Every new cycle gives the player a chance to change up the strategy by using a wide array of weapons and routes. Stealth is an option, but time is of the essence. Players can also choose to play with one other person who takes on the role of Julianna, adding a level of competition to the game.

Deathloop will be releasing on PS5 and PC, but it will only be a PlayStation console-exclusive title for its first year, meaning the earliest date it could be seen on the Xbox Series X is May 21, 2022. Gamers can preorder the Standard Edition for $59.99 or the Deluxe Edition for $69.99, which adds some additional weapons and skins to the game.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

ratchet and clank rift apart ps5 gamescom

Insomniac's intergalactic adventuring duo is back in June with Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, a continuation of 2013's Ratchet and Clank: Into the Nexus. Ratchet and Clank made an exciting appearance at the PS5 Future of Gaming event in June of 2020, establishing itself as one of the only new releases to truly be utilizing the power of the PlayStation 5; the reveal trailer shows Ratchet seamlessly falling through dimensions with no loading time.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart will follow the pair's quest to stop an evil robotic emperor determined to conquer multiple dimensions, including the one Ratchet and Clank live in. Players can expect to travel through diverse dimensions, ranging from brand new environments to alternate versions of familiar ones. Ratchet's arsenal has been expanded with physics-defying weapons like the Shatterbomb, Topiary Sprinkler, and the Burst Pistol to take out enemies in style.

The game is confirmed to utilize the haptic feedback capabilities of the PS5's DualSense controller to create a truly immersive and exciting gameplay experience unlike any other. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart will also feature an important new character. The trailers and cover art introduced fans to a white female Lombax as a second playable character. Little is known about her other than she comes from a dimension Dr. Nefarious has already conquered.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart will release June 11, exactly one year after its reveal. Rift Apart is a true PS5 exclusive, meaning no PS4 version will be available. Fans can preorder the game for $69.99 or opt for the $79.99 Digital Deluxe Edition, which includes five additional armor sets, adds stickers to photo mode, and gives players access to a digital soundtrack and art book.

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Returnal

Returnal is an upcoming third-person shooter developed by Housemarque, exclusively for the PS5. It stands out as one of the new IPs coming to the PlayStation 5 this year, and has unique features that will harness the PS5's capabilities. Returnal explores the story of Selene, a mysterious woman who has crashed on an alien planet, Atropos. Returnal's story will have players trying to restore Selene's memories in between trying to survive on the hostile, ever-changing planet.

The most unique aspect of Returnal is its approach to replayability. Every time Selene dies, the planet she inhabits changes. The environment shifts and enemies won't be in the same place, meaning that players have to approach each restart with a fresh and open mind. The environment may shift within normal gameplay as well; gameplay footage shows Selene exploring diverse landscapes and trying to piece together whether or not she's been there before. Returnal promises players fast-paced, high-stakes combat, deep exploration and environmental storytelling, as well as an emotional narrative about discovering Selene's past.

After a small delay, Returnal is on track to release April 30. Preorders are open for the Standard Edition, priced at $69.99, or the Digital Deluxe Edition for $79.99, which includes some extra weapons, outfits, and a digital soundtrack. It will not have a PS4 version.

Horizon Forbidden West

guerrilla games release 2021

Horizon Zero Dawn was one of the most successful new IPs of the PlayStation 4 generation, so fans are eagerly awaiting Aloy's next adventure in Horizon Forbidden West. The sequel was revealed in June of 2020, making for a memorable finale to Sony's PS5 Future of Gaming event. Horizon Forbidden West will take Aloy to the West Coast of the United States, where she will explore a gorgeous post-apocalyptic world and investigate a mysterious force threatening to cause humanity's extinction.

Fans can expect to encounter intimidating new machines like the Tremortusk, a giant elephant straight out of Lord of the Rings, the pterodactyl-inspired Sunwing, and the fearsome Shellsnapper. Sylens, Aloy's morally ambiguous acquaintance from the first game, will also be making an appearance. Horizon Forbidden West is adding underwater exploration and introducing players to the cultures and tribes that call the west home - as well as a dangerous new enemy described as "seemingly unstoppable."

Horizon Forbidden West has an impressive reveal trailer, but Guerilla Games has not made any recent announcements regarding the release date or pre-orders. Despite rumors of a delay, Sony CEO Jim Ryan recently confirmed that Horizon Forbidden West is on track for a 2021 release. An announcement is expected soon, but fans are expecting to return to the world of Horizon in late 2021. Horizon Zero Dawn did receive a PC port in 2020 but Horizon Forbidden West will be exclusive to PlayStation until further notice, with versions releasing for both PS4 and PS5.

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GhostWire: Tokyo

GhostWire Tokyo dev says PS5 is special

GhostWire: Tokyo is a first-person action-adventure title developed by Tango Gameworks, the developer behind The Evil Within 2. While it is considered and advertised as a PS5 exclusive title, it will also be coming to PC at some point; it doesn't have a release date yet, but the PC version will probably launch alongside the PS5 release. GhostWire: Tokyo is another title that was revealed at June's Future of Gaming event, and the distinctive art style made it one to watch.

The gameplay trailer showcased in June gave players a pretty good idea of what to expect. 99 percent of Tokyo's population has disappeared, and the city is overrun with paranormal entities ranging from spooky Slenderman-esque ghosts, to headless Japanese schoolgirls. The player, who possesses magical abilities, is tasked with saving the city from the invasive spirits. The revealed footage showcases a contrast between the bright neon lights of Tokyo, and the dark unsettling creatures in it. The developer has described the combat as making the player feel like a "high-tech ninja exorcist," and by the looks of the trailer it definitely accomplishes that feeling.

Bethesda Softworks is publishing GhostWire: Tokyo, but despite Microsoft's recent acquisition of Bethesda, it will retain its PS5 exclusivity. The game is expected to release around October, but an official release date has not been announced and preorders are not yet available.

God of War: Ragnarok

God Of War Ragnarok Kratos PS5

Fans of Santa Monica's acclaimed God of War franchise don't have much to go on when it comes to God of War: Ragnarok. The announcement trailer featured only vague dialogue, the formation of the God of War logo, and the 2021 release window. No images or additional information have been released, and gamers are beginning to worry that the highly anticipated God of War sequel won't release until next year. Until otherwise announced, however, it's still being treated as a 2021 exclusive.

Gamers can only speculate about what God of War: Ragnarok might contain in the way of story and gameplay. The mythology surrounding Ragnarok also gives players an idea of the scope- and the stakes- of this game. Put simply, Ragnarok is the Norse apocalypse, a prophesied and dreaded event that will end all creation. It begins with a life-threatening, supernatural winter, which fits in with the frost in the teaser trailer. After a series of great battles, Ragnarok ends with the entire world being submerged in water as if it never existed, with everything, including the gods, ceasing to exist. Things aren't looking good for Kratos and Atreus.

The video game could take any number of liberties with the original mythology, of course, but it's not a bad place to start when it comes to speculation- which, at this point, is all anyone can do until Santa Monica makes an announcement or releases a trailer. If Ragnarok is still on track to release in 2021, it will probably be a holiday release. That said, God of War: Ragnarok has been confirmed to release on both PS4 and PS5, which means it can't be too far away.

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